Marathon
News, coverage and analysis tracking Marathon across the outlets.- MMO Business Roundup: Sony pulls back from PC ports, US considers compelling Tencent divestmentSony is reportedly ceasing PC ports for PlayStation 5 games due to concerns over weak sales and brand dilution, though multiplayer titles like Marvel Tokon and Marathon are unaffected. Separately, the U.S. government is considering compelling Tencent to divest from western gaming investments amid data privacy and potential military links concerns.
- Bungie’s Marathon launch is officially happening this afternoon – are you playing?Bungie's new shooter Marathon officially launches today at 1 p.m. EST on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X. The game is available in two editions, priced at $40 and $60, with a player-friendly business model. The developers have released an FAQ and warned players about potential login queues.
This Week in Gaming: March 5–11, 2026 — Major Announcements, Game Pass, and Mario Day | Invision GameThe first week of March 2026 saw major gaming news including Cyberpunk 2077 joining Xbox Game Pass, updates from Capcom on Monster Hunter Stories 3 and Pragmata, and anticipation for Mario Day. New releases like Bungie's Marathon and 2K's WWE 2K26 are also set for March, while cloud gaming continues its expansion with NVIDIA GeForce NOW.- Steam buckles under the weight of Marathon, a long-awaited roguelike sequel, and the revival of an iconic poker gameSteam is experiencing high player counts due to the simultaneous release of three new games, including the highly anticipated roguelike sequel Marathon and a revival of an iconic poker game. These diverse titles are collectively drawing hundreds of thousands of players to the platform.
Slay the Spire 2 is out now in Early Access with online co-opSlay the Spire 2 has launched in Early Access, featuring solo and online co-op modes for up to four players. The game is built with the open-source Godot engine and includes native Linux support, with plans for 1-2 years of further development to add content, modes, and features. It achieved a peak of over 110,000 concurrent players shortly after release.
It’s A Marathon, Not A SprintBungie's extraction shooter Marathon is now available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. The game returns players to Bungie's classic sci-fi universe with high-risk PvPvE combat, scavenging, and survival elements on the planet Tau Ceti IV. Players can choose from six specialized Runner shells and customize their loadouts, with cross-play and cross-save supported.
Best Marathon characters tier list: All Runner Shell classes explainedThis guide breaks down the seven Runner Shell classes in the game Marathon, explaining their unique abilities and offering a tier list for their effectiveness. It details the Prime, Tactical, and Trait abilities for each shell, including Triage, Vandal, Assassin, Recon, Destroyer, Thief, and Rook, and provides insights into their strengths and weaknesses in gameplay.
Out Today: Marathon's PS5 Launch Puts Sony's $3B Live Service Gamble to the TestMarathon, a $3 billion live service gamble for Sony, has launched today on PlayStation 5. The acquisition of developer Bungie in 2022 was intended to bolster Sony's live service offerings, but the studio has faced challenges including an impairment loss on Destiny 2 and layoffs. Despite an asset theft controversy, Bungie has polished Marathon with features like proximity chat, and success will depend on player retention and long-term revenue.
10 Tips To Help You Survive Your First Runs in Marathon, Available Today on Xbox Series X|SMarathon, a new survival extraction shooter from Bungie, is now available on Xbox Series X|S. The game challenges players to scavenge for loot on Tau Ceti IV, battle rival players and hostile forces, and exfil to advance their power and unlock new gear. The article provides ten tips for new players, covering aspects like sound awareness, preparation, exit planning, combat strategy, and utilizing different Runner shells and faction contracts.
You can lessen Marathon's faction rep grind by doing more than just contractsThis guide for Marathon explains how players can reduce the grind associated with the game's faction reputation system. By completing bonus actions like looting Tick Nests in addition to active contracts, players can earn extra reputation points, making the progression feel less tedious even with the one-contract-at-a-time limitation.
One of Marathon's more controversial mechanics brings back a neat idea from AnthemBungie's Marathon reboot introduces a controversial heat mechanic that limits player abilities and has divided early players. This system, which requires players to manage their temperature using environmental factors like water and weather, is compared to a similar mechanic in BioWare's Anthem. The article also briefly mentions MechWarrior and a former BioWare developer's proposal to revive Anthem.
How to complete Tox Clear events in MarathonThis guide explains how to complete Tox Clear events in the game Marathon. Players need a Hazard Override Card to interact with a hidden laptop near the toxic gas room to temporarily disable the gas. Alternatively, players can use a Mechanic's Kit for temporary immunity or the Triage shell's healing drone.
How to complete Survival Directive in MarathonThis guide explains how to complete the Survival Directive contract in the game Marathon. Players must interact with two terminals, one in Station and another in Overflow, to download a geological survey and a botany report respectively. Completing this contract rewards players with faction reputation for the foodie faction.
Where to find rods to complete Cutthroat Competition in MarathonThis guide explains how to complete the 'Cutthroat Competition' contract in Marathon by finding two rod salvage items, Deimosite Rods or Cetinite Rods, within the Dire Marsh's Maintenance area. Players must extract with both items in a single round, and the guide suggests searching the basement and upper walkways of Maintenance for these items, while also noting the risks of PvP and PvE encounters in the zone.
Best Marathon faction upgrades to unlock firstThis guide details the best faction upgrades to unlock first in Marathon, a brutal extraction shooter. It recommends prioritizing CyberAcme's Expansion upgrade for increased vault space and Informant.exe for better data card rewards. Other key upgrades include those that enhance stamina, shields, and agility, along with specific Rook capstone upgrades that provide significant starting advantages.
How to complete Introducing Traxus in MarathonThis guide details how to complete the 'Introducing Traxus' priority contract in Marathon. Players must hack a terminal at one of three locations on the Dire Marsh map, defeat a UESC Commander to acquire a Shipping Manifest, and then scan a nearby shipping container within a three-minute timer.
How to get Lockbox Keys in MarathonThis guide explains how to obtain Lockbox Keys in the game Marathon, which are necessary to open valuable caches. Keys can be found as rare drops in containers or on objects in the game world, or purchased from the Armory after acquiring the Locksmith CyberAcme upgrade. The guide also details potential locations for lockboxes and the types of loot they contain.- Marathon DCON locations and how to use themThis guide details the locations of DCON terminals in Marathon, which are crucial for completing certain contracts. DCONs are terminals with antennae found on roofs or outside specific buildings, used to deposit quest items. The article lists DCON locations for the Perimeter and Dire Marsh maps, noting that they are typically marked on the map with a crate icon, though this feature may be bugged for some players.
How to expand your vault in MarathonThis guide explains how to expand your vault space in Marathon by purchasing faction upgrades from CyberAcme. The 'Expansion' upgrade, available at Rank 3, provides eight additional slots, with further upgrades offering more rows at increasing costs and rank requirements. The article advises players to consider stash hygiene after the initial upgrades due to diminishing returns.
How to complete Introducing NuCaloric in MarathonThis guide details how to complete the 'Introducing: NuCaloric' contract in Marathon. Players must navigate the Perimeter map, locate a specific building, clear it of Ticks and nests, retrieve the NuCal Employee ID, and interact with a terminal to progress.